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Reward offered after pensioner’s death

Charity offers £5,000 reward after a pensioner’s death following burglary at her home.

The charity Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £5,000 for information about a burglary which took place earlier this year at 83-year-old Betsy Malpass’s home in Dudley.

Four intruders tricked their way into the pensioner’s home in Kate’s Hill at around 3pm on Friday 8th February by pretending to be from a water company.

During the ordeal Betsy was forced to sit on a chair while her mobile phone was put under a running tap and her entire life savings were stolen.

It is believed the offenders arrived and left in a black Audi S-Line car. The suspects are all described as white men. One is thought to be in his mid-twenties and around 5ft 10ins tall, with a chubby face. He was wearing a black hat and scarf.

The following weekend Betsy was taken to hospital, but despite the best efforts of hospital staff and medics she sadly died three days later.

A reward of up to £5,000 is available to anyone providing information directly to Crimestoppers charity which leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for this crime. A spokesperson for Crimestoppers charity, Gary Murray said: “Our charity believes everyone has the right to feel safe from crime, whether it’s in the workplace, on the street or in your own home. This burglary ended with terrible consequences after a wonderful older lady died. She had suffered a horrendous ordeal in her own home, where she had lived independently. Her last days were dominated by the stress of this robbery and the loss of all of her life savings.

“Footage captured by CCTV shows cars that were in the area at the time. These people may have witnessed something significant and we are keen that they come forward and tell us what they know.

“If you know who may have been involved in this crime and prefer to remain completely anonymous, please contact our charity. You could be eligible for a reward of up to £5,000. Everyone who contacts Crimestoppers stays 100% anonymous. Always. We’ve kept this promise for over thirty years.

“When you call our charity’s Contact Centre on 0800 555 111 or use our anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org, no-one will know. It could be your information that makes all the difference.”